Shirley Clarke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shirley Clarke
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Clarke in 1970
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| Born |
Shirley Brimberg
October 2, 1919 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | September 23, 1997 (aged 77) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Education | Stephens College Johns Hopkins University Bennington College University of North Carolina |
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Spouse(s) |
Bert Clarke
(m. 1943; div. 1963) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Elaine Dundy (sister) |
Shirley Clarke (born Shirley Brimberg; October 2, 1919 – September 23, 1997) was an American filmmaker. She was known for her independent films and documentaries. Clarke was a key figure in the New American Cinema movement. She explored new ways of telling stories through film.
Contents
Early Life and Dance Career
Shirley Brimberg was born in New York City. Her father was a successful manufacturer. Her mother's family was also involved in manufacturing and inventing. Shirley was the oldest of three daughters. Her sister, Elaine Dundy, became a writer.
From a young age, Shirley loved to dance. She studied at several colleges, including Stephens College and University of North Carolina. She learned different styles of modern dance. To follow her dream of studying dance in New York City, she married Bert Clarke. Their daughter, Wendy, was born in 1944. Shirley later became a dancer in the exciting modern dance scene in New York.
Making Short Films
Shirley Clarke began her filmmaking journey by adapting dance performances. Her first film, Dance in the Sun (1953), was based on a dance by Daniel Nagrin. It was chosen as the best dance film of the year. In this film, Clarke showed a dance on stage and then on a beach, moving between the two scenes. This helped her express her art through film.
After making In Paris Parks (1954), Clarke studied filmmaking. She joined a group of independent filmmakers in Greenwich Village. This group included artists like Maya Deren and Jonas Mekas.
Clarke's film Bridges Go-Round (1959) is a great example of abstract expressionism in film. It used two different soundtracks: one with electronic music and another with jazz. She used her camera to make still objects seem to move.
She was nominated for an Academy Award for Skyscraper (1959). This short film showed the building of 666 Fifth Avenue in New York City. It also included shots of the Roxy Theatre, which was later torn down. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival.
A Scary Time (1960) was a film she made for UNICEF. It showed the challenges faced by children in different parts of the world.
Feature Films of the 1960s
Shirley Clarke believed that being a woman affected her filmmaking. She felt that women often faced challenges in fields like film. She said she understood the struggles of others who felt like outsiders. She wanted to make films that were different from typical Hollywood movies. She believed films did not need to be very expensive or try to please everyone.
The Connection (1961)
Her first full-length film, The Connection (1961), was about jazz musicians. It was part of a new movement of independent films in New York. These films often explored important social issues. Clarke hoped her film would help change strict film rules in New York State.
The Connection caused a lot of discussion in the arts community. The film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 1961 and received good reviews. However, screenings in New York State were later stopped due to concerns about some language in the film. This made it hard for Clarke to get funding and distribute her future projects.
Other Films and Projects
In 1962, Clarke helped start The Film-Makers' Cooperative in New York. This group supported independent filmmakers.
Her film Robert Frost: A Lover's Quarrel With the World (1963), which featured the poet Robert Frost, won an Academy Award for Documentary Feature.
Clarke's film The Cool World (1964) told the story of a young man leading a youth gang. It was filmed in Harlem and was one of the first movies to show such a story without judging the characters. It was also the first independent film shown at the Venice International Film Festival.
In 1967, Clarke directed Portrait of Jason. This film was an interview with one person, lasting 12 hours. It explored the person's character and also showed the strengths and limits of the cinema-verité style of filmmaking. The film was well-received in Europe.
Video Art and Teaching
In the 1970s, Shirley Clarke started experimenting with live video performances. She formed a group called The TeePee Video Space Troupe. They worked with video art at her home in the Hotel Chelsea in New York City. This group included many video artists, including Clarke's daughter, Wendy Clarke. They explored new ways to use video for art and installations.
Later, Clarke was asked to work on a film by Roger Corman. However, they had different ideas about how to make the film. Clarke felt that she was not treated as an experienced filmmaker because she was a woman. She believed there was still unfair treatment against women artists.
Clarke's last film was Ornette: Made in America (1985). It was a documentary about the jazz musician Ornette Coleman.
Shirley Clarke also appeared in other films. She played an independent filmmaker in Lions Love (1969) by Agnès Varda. She also lectured at theaters and museums. From 1975 to 1983, she taught film and video at UCLA.
Legacy
Shirley Clarke passed away in 1997 after a struggle with Alzheimer's disease.
For many years, Shirley Clarke's work was not widely recognized. However, there has been new interest in her films. Her films are now seen as important works of the New American Cinema. Since 2012, a project called "Project Shirley" has been restoring and releasing her films on DVD and Blu-ray. This has helped more people discover her amazing contributions to film.
See also
In Spanish: Shirley Clarke para niños
